The Xiris Blog

Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) is a common welding process used in a variety of applications pipe and pipeline fabrication. In many applications, pipe is tack welded together to hold the pipe in shape, then submerged arc welded from the outside using a continuous process such as on a spiral welded pipe mill, or in butt joining pipe segments using an orbital welding process. Many of these applications have a very confined or awkward working environment that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a human to observe the weld process in a production environment.

An XVC-S Mounted to a Column and Boom Robot Performing Welding and Cladding on Large Pipes

In any such welding work environment, whether it be the confined space of a pipe welding application or a high-height welding application such as in large pressure vessel construction, operator safety is always a priority. In the welding industry, workforce demands, government regulations, changing business practices, and increasing environmental awareness are driving the manufacturing environment to be safer, healthier, and friendlier for workers. As a result, the use of camera technology is becoming more prevalent in order to alleviate some of the dangers and liabilities.

While the welding environment is particularly harsh on electronics, the Xiris XVC-S cameras for Sub-Arc welding applications have proven to be very durable and reliable in some of the toughest environments. The XVC-S cameras have been used in hot, confined spaces to provide a clear view of the submerged arc weld torch and its alignment to the weld seam, or in a post-weld application to inspect the weld as the slag comes off the weld bead. The cameras allow the operator to remotely view and manage the welding process by providing the ability to adjust the weld process real-time, ultimately reducing potential subsequent rework. For the fabricator, this means saving time and money with less machine stops and more on-arc time.

The View of the Sub Arc Welding Process Using an XVC-S Camera

But the benefits of the XVC-S are not just financial: since the XVC-S submerged arc weld camera allows the welding processes to be viewed remotely, operators can monitor the welding process from the comfort of a process control cabinet as the cameras are placed at the weld head. As a result, welders are no longer required to work in cramped, uncomfortable places or dangerous heights, reducing fatigue and safety issues.

With clearly demonstrated financial benefits from cost savings and improved health and safety considerations, the business case for implementing an XVC-S camera is straightforward. Don’t you think it’s worth looking into a camera for your sub arc business? Learn more about the XVC-S camera and download the FREE Datasheet for more details. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

In 2017 Xiris saw business growth of more than 40% over the previous year. This growth was due in part to the large increase in automation throughout the manufacturing industry, an increase in metal additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry and a new focus on employee training, health and safety for welding processes.

North American Industry saw the highest number of robots delivered in 2017, with twenty-seven thousand delivered in the first nine months, according to Machine Design magazine. The largest installations of robots came from the automotive components and metals manufacturing markets with food and consumer goods close behind. The machine vision market also saw a growth rate of 14% in 2017 with 14% of those being vision systems.

The Xiris XVC family of weld cameras have become critical tools in advancing weld automation processes across the board, particularly in the growing markets mentioned above. The Xiris weld cameras become the eyes of the robot and enable operators to safely see the weld process from start to finish.

In order to keep up with this growth, Xiris is also expanding. We have added a number of new employees in all areas of the company. We now have a Sales Manager in Dusseldorf to address increased demand in Europe. We have also increased staff at our head office in Burlington in all areas of the business including software/hardware design and development, production and product support. With these added resources we feel well positioned to meet growing demands and look forward to continued growth and success in 2018 and the coming years.